Hope is a Good Thing

After months of having got myself a copy of the movie The Shawshank Redemption I finally decided to watch it yesterday.

The movie is based on a Stephen King novella [new word I picked up when I wiki-ed for the book :)] called Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.

Tim Robbins plays the role of a banker called Andy Dufresne who is given a double life sentence for murdering his wife and her lover - a crime that he badly wanted to commit but had not. As fate would have it he was sent to Shawshank Prison where he spent the next 19 years of his life!!!

Morgan Freeman plays the role of 'Red' who was another inmate at Shawshank Prison. Freeman sure has a class of his own. After this movie and The Bucket List he has one more fan in me :)

The movie is hard-hitting with a whole lot of dialogues that leave you dumbstruck. It is yet another visualization of how harsh things can get on the other side of the bars. It is yet another attempt to convey that there is nothing more powerful than hope. It is yet another attempt to reinforce the fact that no matter how mean life can get, it is that undying spirit of hope that will help us sail through and come out smiling despite the hardships that we will eventually leave behind.

I am glad the movie has influenced me positively. I only feel more positive about clinging on to my hopes, however irrational they may seem at the moment!!!

I decided I should put up a post about this on Bindaas Baatein. There's nothing more satisfying than spreading one's positivity around - who knows, this might just make you want to change your mind over things you have given up on.

I'll sum this up in Andy Dufresne's words from the movie - 'Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies'.

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Movie Time...

'List out your New Year Resolutions'... I have been telling myself to sit down and work this out for the last week or so. But somehow I have not managed to get myself to do it yet. Ordinary people find it difficult to live by their resolutions. Some like me find it tough to even sit down and get those resolutions on paper (make that blogger :P)! I wanted to do it over the weekend but I ended up watching two movies back to back.

Ghajini was the first. I loved it! Aamir is at his perfect best. Asin did a good job too. I was only left wondering why the movie was named after the villian... and why Ghajini! Also Aamir's character was supposed to be some super popular business tycoon. How come no one recognized him then when he played Sachin!!! Oops sorry... when it's movies... you're not supposed to 'think' and ask! That apart it was a fine movie. I've decided to watch the original Tamil version now. I love watching sequels, prequels, originals, 'inspired from' movies and then play 'spot the differences and similarities' :P

Alright then... next on the list was the recent Tamil hit Vaaranam Aayiram. I could not get beyond the interval. No no no... don't frame opinions about the movie! I could not get beyond the interval coz my PC went for a toss around that time. Oh by the way did I tell you... one of the resolutions I'm contemplating is to stop watching DVD rip offs? Oh by the way again, did I tell you... I was contemplating that for my list of resolutions for the year 2045?? :P

Alright, coming back to the first half of Vaaranam Aayiram... it's an awesome movie! Yes, even though I watched only part of it for me it seemed like a perfect complete movie. And I must tell you that my review is not biased by the first half alone... the 'I hate suspense' keeda in me made sure I find out what happens in the second half :P.

The casting and execution was brilliant. Sameera Reddy had the perfect combination of oomph and girlish innocence. Surya and Simran played their roles beautifully! Surya stole the show in all the three roles that he portrayed. The school boy look and the old man look were well crafted. About the awesome hero look that had me floored... I think it just comes naturally to the guy! :-)

The movie's a little emotional. It hurts when Sameera dies in the blast and Surya's left heartbroken. Apparently he gets over it in the second half... drugs, realization, an army stint and a poem that his mum recites... come to his rescue!!! Somehow made me think that every real life love story that's not meant to work out should end that way. A blast or an accident or something fatal would make it a lot easier for the lady. For the brave macho gentlemen... life will somehow move on!!! (Thank God we don't have a Aadmi Mukti Aandolan trend around :P)

If I have to wrap up this review... I'd just say that it's a must watch for the 'romantically challenged' :P

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Another year slips by...

2008 is slipping away. Another 5 days to go. Each of you probably have your own way of bringing on the New Year. Some like to keep it simple. Some hit the dance floors. Some keep their pitchers full. Some seek blessings from the Gods above. And for some January 1st is just as ordinary as any other day on the calendar!!! In the end it all boils down to ushering in the New Year on a note that appeals to you the most.

For me, it's that time of the year when I take stock of all that happened to me and all that brought me a smile or a tear (usually works the plural way!!!).

Here are some of my bestest moments of 2008...

A little princess made her way into my family and all our hearts. My li'l niece , Harini, was born on the 13th of February 2008. She's a darling and is by far one of the best things that happened to me in this last one year. She's the reason I'm officially an 'aunty' :P... but she beautifully covers up for that with her smile and by doubling up as my punching bag :). That's a recent picture of hers alongside... post-processed and touched up by me... stuff I picked up from her dad.

Toastmasters happened to me in 2008. A special thank you to Swastika for introducing me to the Covansys Chennai Toastmasters Club (Covansys Chennai Toastmasters Chapter now... name changes I tell you :D). I am so glad I joined Toastmasters. Improving communication and leadership skills maybe its USP, but for me Toastmasters means a lot lot more... I met the most amazing bunch of people at CCTM and the times I've spent with them will always be cherished.

My short stint with Rebelz - a Chennai-based English theater group - for one of their shows. I know I didn't make as much of a contribution, but the few weeks that I spent with the Rebelz junta was by far the most fun weeks in my two years at Chennai. All the best guys for all your shows in the future.

My trip to Munich and the awesome experiences it brought along - the places, the people, the special moments by myself - was a perfect trip... away and yet not away!!! Given a chance I'd love to go back to Munich... quite a few incomplete moments to complete!!!

This was one year I spent watching a lot of movies. Some of the movies that left an impression - A Wednesday, The Bucket List, Fashion, The Pursuit of Happyness, Bridge to Terabithia (on someone's recommendation!)... and a few eye-sores like Yuvvraaj and Karzzz!!

iGoogle and Google Reader - my 'kill sleep at work' pills for the year :P News, views, interesting blogs... all of them RSSed in one window... read on endlessly!!! Guess that's made me more regular on my blog space too :)

Five of my really close couple friends got married in 2008. I felt just as happy for them as they probably felt themselves. I could not make it to any of the weddings in person and I still regret that... but I wish them all great lives ahead with a special mention on my blog :). Congratulations jodis... Ramya and Suman, Jay and Vrunda, Ojas and Shital, Sheetal and Sachin, Amrit and Rutvij.

That's about all that comes to mind for the moment. A lot of not-so-happening events also happened during the year but I've ranted a lot about all of that in my earlier posts.

The one thing I want to say before I wrap up this post... some things missed the list above coz they chose to stay incomplete in 2008. So be it. I choose to believe that they'll feature on my 'bestest moments of 2009' list... coz am not giving up on them!!!

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Aaja Nachle... to the tune of politics!!!

Madhuri Dixit-Nene's return to Bollywood has been the latest buzz in Bollywood. The dancing queen continues to dazzle one and all with her beautiful smile. Her fans sure are happy to have her back!!! Movie buffs are happy to see her back on the silver screen. Reality shows are cashing in on the occasion by inviting Madhuri over. Aaja Nachle was the talk of the town!!! Sounds too perfect to be so straight and clean, right. There has to be something that plays spoilsport... and when there's no one to do that... politicians and their supporters nonchalantly oblige!!!

The lyrics in the movie's title track, 'mohalle mein kaisi mara mar hai/ bole mochi bhi khud ko sunaar hai' (what is this commotion in the neighbourhood/ a cobbler is calling himself a goldsmith) has given a chance for people to complain and create an issue out of something that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. I'm sure the lyricist meant no offence to those of a particular caste!!!

With all due respect to people of all castes and creed, all I'd like to say is that such incidents are exploited by our politicians to the core!!! Film music lovers (cobblers, goldsmiths and the rest of the clan) would have gone ahead and enjoyed the song without even paying attention to the lyrics and taking such serious offence!!!

I'm not a casteist, but if our (???!!!!) politicians were really so sensitive to casteism why can't they really 'do' something for the upliftment of the lower castes (sadly it does exist as a concept!!) instead of publicizing the whole matter and blowing it out of proportion and in the melee enjoy their much needed political mileage!!!

Grow up dear politicians... we're a mature audience... and we're watching you too!!!

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Blood Diamond - Unleashed

Blood Diamond:

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou
Rating: Amazing movie... must watch!!!

This movie is an amazing depiction of the reality in the world of conflict diamonds!!! It's truly moving to see the plight of the Africans and its even more painful to see how the rest of the world turns a blind eye to their plight as their women adorn heavy diamond jewelry!!!

Leonardo is amazing in this very different role. I've seen him only in Titanic before this and he's really cool in this one too.

Make sure you get your copy of Blood Diamond soon... its a collector's delight!!!

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